Fire-plug-hose hitch.



No. 790,874. PATENTEO MAY 2s, 1905. l

J. DONOVAN, H. MGORORY G G. J. VOGEL.

FIRE PLUG HOSE HITOH.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO. 20, 1904.

UNTTEE STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT Ormes.

JOHN DONOVAN, OF BRADDOOK, HENRY MCORORY, OF WVILKINSBURG, AND GEORGE J. VOGEL, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-FIFTH TO R. W. TENER AND ONE-FIFTH TO FRANK CORDES, OF

PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-PLUG-HOSE HITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 790,874, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed December 20, 1904. Serial No. 237,637.

To @ZZ whom, t may concern;

Be it known that we, JOHN DONOVAN, resid-.

ing at Braddock, HENRY MCCRORY, residing at VVilkinsburg, and GEORGE J. VOGEL, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of' Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, citizens of the United States of America, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Fire- Plug-Hose Hitches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. Y

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in hitches for fire-plug hose.

The object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which can be readily attached to a lire-hose, whereby'the same can be quickly secured to a fire-plug.

Heretofore it has been the practice of firemen upon reaching a fire-plug in the vicinity of' the fire to hold the fire-hose while the hosewagon is moving in closer proximity to the fire, or in some instances the firemen wrap the end of the hose around the plug on account of' not being able to hold the same while the wagon is moving away from the plug. This operation consumes considerable time, which is lost, and to save this time and assist the firemen in holding the hose we have devised our novel form of hitch, which can be detachably secured adjacent to the end of the hose which is to be attached to the plug. The hitch is at all times carried by the hose and is adapted to relieve the firemen of holding the hose while the-hose wagon or reel is moving away. The firemen can then instantly attach the end of' the hose to the fire-plug, while the hose-wagon is carrying the nozzle end of the hose to the building where the fire occurs.

The construction entering in to our improved hose-hitch, together with the details entering into the same, will be hereinafter more fully described, and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and referring to the drawings accompanying this application like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fire-hose, illustrating a section of hose as being held by the plug. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a form of clamp which we employ in connection with the fire-hose. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail View of a ring Which We may employ, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of one end of a chain that may be employed in connection with our improved hitch.

In the accompanying drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates aconventional form of fire-plug, and in order that our improved hitch may be fully understood we have illustrated a section of hose as being held by the plug. The section of' hose is designated by vthe reference-numeral 2. Near the end of the hose 3 which is generally attached to the plug we secure a clamp 4. The clamp comprises two hinged members 5 and 6, which are substantially semicylindrical in cross-section. The inner faces of these members are provided with a plurality of short prongs or pins 7, which are adapted to take into the hose, whereby the same will be held in firm engagement therewith. The member 5 upon its adjoining edge is provided with a lug 8, while the hinged member 6 is provided with a pivotcd dog 9, having atoothed end 10, which when the clamp is secured upon the hose is adapted to engage over the lug 8 of the member 5. The dog is normally held in engagement with the lug by a spring 11, secured to the member 6 ofthe clamp. The hingedmembers 5 and 6 of the clamp are provided upon their' one end with slotted lugs 12 12, these lugs being arranged diametrically opposite each other. In the slots of said lugs are secured the chains or cables 14 14, which are connected togetherl by a link 15. To the link 15 is connected a series of links16, which carry upon their ends a hook 17. The hook is provided with a hinged member 18, which is held in a closed position bya link 19. Connected to the hook 17 is a chain or cable 20, to the outer end of which is swiveled, as indicated at Q1, a hook Q2, which is made of a suficient size to engage around or over the fire-plug, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

1n lieu of the hook 22 we may employ a link 23, which is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, or we may provide the end of the chain 2O with a large link 24 and pass the end of the chaingthrough said link to form a loop which can be thrown over the iire-plug.

Our improved hitch is adapted to be connected to the hose at the engine-house and the chain 2O and hook 22 arranged conveniently upon the wagon or reel, whereby when the fire is reached the iiremen can grasp the same and place the hook Q2 over the {ire-plug while the hose wagon or reel is moving into close proximity to the re. We will assume that the end of the hose 3' has been connected to the tire-plug and it isl desired to remove the chain and hook from the plug, in which in stance the link 19 is kicked or'moved rearwardly,which will permit of the hinged member 18 of the hook 17 releasing the end of the chain 20, and the hose can then be pulled forwardly and the chain 2O and hook 22 removed from the plug.

While we have herein shown one form of clamp which may be readily used in connection with our improved hitch, it is obvious that any desired means may be employedi'or securing the end of the chain approximately close to the end of the hose, and it will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention.

That we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In adevice of the character described, a clamp composed of two semicircular hinged sections adapted to embrace a hose, a pivoted dog carried by one of said members and a lug carried by the other of said members and adapted to be engaged by the said pivoted dog, slotted lugs carried by said hinged members, chains engaging said slotted lugs, a link connecting' said chain, a third chain connected to said link, a hook having a hinged tongue, a link carried by said hook and adapted to hold the hinged tongue in closed position, a chain engaging said hook and a hook carried vby said chain and adapted to engage a fireplug.

2. The combination with a fire-plug, and a section of hose, ot' a detachable clamp carried by said section of hose means carried by said clamp for locking it in closed position on the hose, a chain secured to said clamp, means for detachably connecting said chain to said tireplug, a hinged hook interposed in said chain, and means for holding said hook in closed position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aiiX our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN DONOVAN. HENRY MCORORY. GEORGE J. VOGEL. Witnesses:

J As. NV. DUNCAN, ALBERT BRIGG. 

